


Fireworks and Friendship

by Lonelylilravenclaw



Series: Freckles & Frizz [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fred Weasley Lives, George is not depressed, Harry is taken in by Sirius, Lupin has a non-Potter godchild, Lupin is nice to Hermione, M/M, WE STAN LUPIN IN THIS HOUSE
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27059911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lonelylilravenclaw/pseuds/Lonelylilravenclaw
Summary: All Hermione wanted to know was whether they'd seen a toad.But the bundles of chaos named Fred and George Weasley couldn't leave it at that, and extended a hand of loyal and hilarious friendship - and Hermione finds more than books and cleverness.Join Fred, George, Angelina, Katie, Alicia and Lee as they take Hermione on a journey of fireworks and friendship.Come and find me on Tumblr!https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/raspberryluna
Relationships: Angelina Johnson/Oliver Wood, Draco Malfoy/Theodore Nott, George Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley, Katie Bell/Ron Weasley, Lee Jordan/Alicia Spinnet, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood
Series: Freckles & Frizz [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984897
Comments: 12
Kudos: 83





	1. Hermione is accosted by ginger menaces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the fics I have stolen ideas from are:  
> \- Scars and Freckles  
> \- Grass  
> \- The Fairy Godprince  
> \- Sinners and Serpents  
> \- Rewind  
> \- Percy Weasley and the Operation of Saving the World  
> \- Sixth Sense 
> 
> If you spot any more, please let me know!

The smoky, packed train station buzzed with excitement and magic as Hermione stepped through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. People dressed in robes of all colours, carrying owls and trunks packed on trolleys, chattered animatedly as they waved to the children stepping on or off the train. 

Jean Granger placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You don't have to, you know, Hermione. You can come back, and stay with us."

Hermione smiled up at her. "Thanks, Mum. But I can't do that. I'm part of this world now, aren't I? I've got _magic_ \- these people, they're just like me."

Jean sighed. "OK. Well, if at any time, you - don't fit in, or want to come home, just write. I'll be waiting for your owl anyway, because you'll write lots, won't you?"

"Of course, Mum."

"Alright, if you're sure. Bye, sweetheart, have a good time. Don't stay up too late, brush your teeth, write, do your homework, make friends, and have fun!" 

Hermione hugged her mother, and surged towards the train with the last of Hogwarts' pupils. _This is it,_ she thought. _Go, Hermione. Make this work!_

-

Hermione considered the first hour of her train journey a success.

One new friend already wasn't bad, especially since this new friend didn't seem to mind that she already knew more than him. Neville was a kind, round-faced boy, who clutched his toad Trevor with perhaps more force than was necessary. They talked about everything, from the Sorting to Transfiguration lessons. Neville was very nervous, and was grateful for anything Hermione could tell him.

"My Gran was in Gryffindor," he said, lifting his fingers to his mouth to chew his nails again. "What if I'm not? What if I'm in _Hufflepuff_? No - what if I'm in _Slytherin_? She'd never forgive me."

"Gryffindor seems much the best," Hermione agreed. "But I think the Hat listens to you, too, you know. I don't think it'll put you in Slytherin if you really don't want to go there."

"It does?" Neville slumped down in his seat in relief . "Thank goodness. I want to go home at the end of this year!"

" Are you homesick? " Hermione wondered. She certainly wasn't ; her parents were wonderful and loving, but one needed friends as well as family. Especially with a family as small as hers.

"Nah. I haven't got much to be sick for, really , except for - NO, trevor!"

But it was too late. Trevor made a bit for freedom , crashing into the compartment door. Neville signed and scooped him off the floor. "Come on, now, Trevor. Give me a break!" He leaned against the glass. The door began to slide - and Trevor hopper right through the gap.

"Its OK, Neville!" Hermione rushed to assure him, as he looked close to tears. "It'll be alright. We're about in the middle of the train, aren't we? You go down and I'll go up, and we'll ask about for him. By the time we've both done the entire train, we'll have found Trevor again - twice over!"

Neville sniffed. "Can you go down instead? Only, the compartment down from us seems very loud, and I think there's some smoke."

Hermione steeled herself. "OK, Neville. Let the search - which will be successful, I know it - begin!"

Neville rushed out of the door like someone had let off a starting gun. Hermione followed him at a better pace, noting the door that Neville had told her about. Smoke was leaking under the door in bluish clouds, and laughter and squeaks emitted from the inside. Taking a deep breath and plastering a smile on her face, she went in to face her nemesis: people.

"Don't let the smoke out!" A voice, choked with laughter, called out. Hermione stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. 

"Oh, hello," a tall black girl smiled . "Are you a first year?" 

Hermione nodded. " Um. Neville's lost a -"

"You don't look tiny enough to be a first year," one of a pair of redheaded twin boys observed. "You don't look eleven at all."

" I'm a September baby, " Hermione explained, feeling a bit interrogated. "20th."

" What house are you hoping to be in? I'm Angelina, by the way. " the black girl was still talking. 

"Gryffindor. I'm Hermione, and I'm looking for Neville's toad."

" I'm George, this is Fred, " the twin told her, gesturing to his brother (who was holding a suspiciously empty box of fireworks). 

"Why would anyone bring a toad?" A boy with dreadlocks wondered. Angelina hissed " _Lee! "_ so Hermione suppose that was his name.

"I'm Katie," a short girl said. "The is Alicia-" the only person left in the carriage, a girl with a kind smile and a woolly hat "-and, sadly, no toads have passed this way."

" I'm sorry Angelina and George have waylaid you like this, but if you make it to Gryffindor, please sit with us, Hermione, " Alicia offered.

"OK," Hermione replied, overwhelmed , and backed out of the carriage.

-

Hogwarts was more than Hermione ever dreamed.

As she ducked her head under the low-hanging plants, lifted her gaze, and saw it, it seemed to call; maybe it said, 'come on, you belong here', or maybe it said, 'come on, do your worst', but either way, Hermione suddenly couldn't imagine being anywhere else. 

The tall, severe witch who opened the door was as fascinating to Hermione as the castle itself. This woman had seen everything, and teaches it: hexes, jinxes, spells, fireworks, duels, explosions, but also learning, helping, teamwork - everything Hermione had never really known, not properly. She heard someone say McGonagall was the head of Gryffindor. Her fingers crossed subconsciously.

The Sorting Hat didn't seem to impress many students, even when it's brim opened wide and it sang, but to Hermione, it was her first glimpse of magic.

She could see hundreds of lamplit faces, most of which looked either bored or excited. She wondered how many of them wanted Harry Potter in their house. She wondered if she wanted him in hers. She knew she wanted Neville, and she desperately didn't want Ron Weasley. Now she thought about it, Ron looked kind of similar to Fred and George. She prayed they weren't related, or they at least made it to different houses, because she wanted Gryffindor, so Ron couldn't have it. If the Hat could truly see inside her head, it wouldn't place her within shooting range of people so incompatible.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione did her best to calm her fast steps as she practically ran to the Hat. She eagerly jammed it on her head, wondering where it would see fit to put her.

_"Where would you like to go, then? Your head is a very interesting place. We've got intelligence, and a thirst for knowledge . . . but then there's loyalty, and most definitely a lot of hard work - who memorises all the set books? . . . but bravery, I see that, you are willing to go wherever it takes to belong . . . and yet again, cunning, and ambition, to get to the best place possible. So, where would you like to go?"_

Hermione pondered this. Technically, she'd always thought she would flourish in Ravenclaw, while fantasizing about Gryffindor. However, to be offered every single house, even Slytherin? Thinking back, Hermione agreed that she was definitely ambitious. And occasionally cunning. But wasn't Gryffindor where she wanted to go? But what about -

 _"No! Go with your instincts. I see them now, loud and clear._ GRYFFINDOR! _"_

Dazed, Hermione slipped the hat off. She looked at the Gryffindor table, cheering wildly - for her! This place really was magic.

"Hermione! HERMIONE! You said you'd sit with us!" a voice hissed, and Hermione looked across to see Angelina leaning towards her.

"OK, OK!" Hermione said. She couldn't wipe the grin off her face when she sat down opposite her . . . . well, they were friends, weren't they?

The twins wedged themselves either side of her. "Congratulations on making it to Gryffindor!"

"It's the best house, me and Fred think. And we're usually right."

Hermione was doing her best to keep up with who was who, but it was getting difficult. She had a sneaking suspicion that the twins were trying to mix her up on purpose.

"Thank you," she managed, before one of them (Fred, she thought, he seemed to speak first) slung an arm around her.

"So Herms, want to join in our game?"

"Only if it involves using my full name."

"Awww. You'll never get Fred to agree to that," Lee informed her.

"He's right," a twin (George?) said. "Join our game, _Hermione._ "

"Alright. What is it?"

"See if you can sort them better than the Sorting Hat!"

They watched Neville trip up to the Hat. Hermione laughed as the twins both exclaimed "Hufflepuff!"

"Gryffindor," she decided. She felt a bit guilty about using her prior knowledge, but she couldn't resist standing up for Neville.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat exclaimed. The twins both shook one of her hands. "Well done, Mimi," said one of them (Fred, for sure). "Now see if you can get the rest of them right."

"The ones you don't know personally," Possibly George added. 

"Just don't call me Mimi."

"OK, Mione."

"Ugh."

In the end, Hermione won, even without prior knowledge. Angelina had been keeping score, and announce that George had twenty right, Fred seventeen and Hermione twenty-nine. 

"I want a trophy next year," she told them, marvelling at the fact that there was a 'next year'.

"OK. There'll be a trophy for us to win," Definitely Fred announced. 

Hermione smiled but didn't reply. The whole table was buzzing with Harry Potter, but Hermione felt like banging her head on the table when she remembered Ron. And then she remembered that it didn't matter, she had _friends,_ and sure they were older, and lax about breaking rules, but Hermione could tell the twins apart now, so that had to count for something.

She wasn't sure what.


	2. Hermione, no murdering people on your birthday

Fred had told her she could sit with them in the hall.

George had told her she could come and find them whenever she wanted (providing she didn't tattle on anything she saw them doing.)

Angelina had told her she could ask them about anything.

Alicia had told her that they were friends, and they would always help her - she could ask _for_ anything.

Katie had told her she could tell them anything.

Lee had told her she could trust them. 

Hermione didn't do any of it.

These kind, kind people were doing it out of pity, obviously; they were all older than her, though Katie only by a few months - different school years meant a gap which seemingly only Hermione felt. She didn't stop joking with the twins. She didn't stop returning Alicia's hugs. She didn't stop petting Norman, Lee's tarantula. She didn't stop anything she did before, but she didn't open up either.

Maybe only the twins saw her jokey, silly -in-a-good-way side, and that was because it was the only way to reply to them. But Hermione's only true friend was the library. It opened up a new world to her, and world much kinder than the ones she lived in before. A world of rare potion ingredients, of rabbits-into-cushions, of Apparition laws, of centaurs and merfolk who rescued lost souls, of smiles and laughter and smokey spell fumes.

Not that she never laughed. She did her best to spend time with the twins, and continue her quest to tell them apart. She watched as they messed with their friends by switching the way they wore their clothes, and she vowed to learn to tell them apart by their faces and personalities alone. Fred went first, and George went in to explain everything and prevent (unnecessary) damage. Fred had five freckles on the side of his face which could be joined into a star. George had paler, sparkling eyes which were different to Fred's deeper blue. George had longer eyelashes. Fred was the one who developed a habit of winking at her before he finished a conversation. George was the one who reminded her to breathe when she started to panic. Fred sat next to her and calmed her when work got too much. George liked to present her with tea, which would prompt Fred to call him Mum. 

But still. Were they friends?

-

Hermione's twelfth birthday was set to be a quiet, library-ish day. Fridays meant potions, but they also meant weekend, which she looked forward to as Quality Revision Time. She was also relieved, because Friday meant Quidditch practice, and that meant quiet in the Gryffindor common room, and that meant she maybe didn't have to study in the library. She hadn't told anyone it was her birthday, and the thought made her smile that people would be wandering around, unaware that they were walking past a birthday girl.

"SURPRISE!"

Hermione's wand was halfway out of her bag before the twins surged towards her. They grabbed her wand, and Fred spun her so she was facing him.

"No murdering people in your birthday, okay, Mine?" he said.

That was another thing about Fred. In his quest for a nickname she couldn't argue against, he had finally settled on 'Mine' - _"because you're my Mione"_ \- and no amount of pointing out that George had spoken to her first would stop him. George had sighed, put his arm around Hermione, and reminded her that there was no stopping Fred if he didn't want to be stopped.

George just called her Mione. N either of the twins ever called her _Hermione,_ preferring the more annoying _Granger._

"OK, but only if you don't give me a reason for doing it," Hermione conceded. " Wait, how'd you know it was my birthday?" 

"Told us," George reminded her, hauling her up off of her library seat .

"First day," Fred threw an arm across her shoulders . "Now, come on. Celebrations to be had!"

" It's Friday night! " George added, tugging her out of the library and to Gryffindor common room.

-

Hermione felt eyes on her as she crossed the common room to where her friends (she felt safe in calling them that - they'd remembered her birthday) had set out Butterbeer and food. She stole a quick glance to confirm that it was Ron, there twins' younger brother, who was watching her. He'd made her feel bad about her friendship with his brother's all term. 

George followed her gaze. "He won't say anything," he said darkly .

"We've told him what's what," Fred agreed, glaring at Ron across the room. The younger boy turned to whisper something to Harry Potter, who sat next to him. Harry shook his head; Hermione lip-read part of his reply. _Friends._

 _Well, you're right,_ she longed to tell him. _They remembered my birthday. I think they threatened their own brother._

And yet . . . Why did it all come in question form to her mind?


	3. What the heck, Hermione?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, sorry, short chapter today. Quite important - will Hermione abandon Fred and George?

_Hermione decided that even if Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia, Katie and Lee weren't her friends, she was going to enjoy it while it lasted._

_She only ever called Fred Freddie, just to get him back for calling her 'mine'._

_She and George were like another set of twins (George called her his 'twinster')._

_And the girls were like a cross between best friends, sisters, and mothers._

_Lee just kind of sat in the background and suggested pranks, which Hermione refused to take part in._

_Of course, life was all too good to be true._

-

Hermione was looking forward to wizarding Hallowe'en. Fred and George had told her a lot, though she wasn't without her suspicions.

"There's a thousand bats!"

"Two thousand, Fred, there's a thousand in the sky and a thousand everywhere else..."

"Oh yeah! Two thousand bats!"

Neither of them seemed worried that the bats would come to harm, or eat the food, or anything, which made Hermione think they just made them up.

"They don't even set on fire, Mione, I tried it once." (this did not comfort Hermione at all. In fact, it made her worry for the bats even more).

However, she ran out of Charms as fast as her unpracticed legs would carry her, dropping books all over the place. As she stopped to pick them up, she heard Ron talking to Harry. Intrigued, and wondering if they were talking about how she helped Ron, she leaned in closer.

"No wonder she's got no friends, she's a nightmare, honestly . . . . ."

Tears blinded her as she ran to get away from everyone.

She swung into the bathroom, locking herself into a cubicle before the tears streaming down her face could make themselves heard. She searched her brain for a way to keep people away; in the end she settled on _Muffliato_ _,_ and was too upset to even congratulate herself. Sliding down the wall, she crumpled in a heap on the floor, a mess of warmth and tears and frizz. She heard people come in, and trusted completely in her spell as she sobbed harder, listening to the friends banter back and forth. It reminded her of her and Fred, and her and George; then she remembered that Ron had confirmed her fears. _She's got no friends. She's a nightmare, honestly._ The words seemed to be seared into her brain. She heard people taking about her, too; most of it was just how she was a know-it-all, some people interested in why she was missing the feast (which seemed to be very soon). A few people sympathised, and she wished she had the heart to go and thank them. _Some Gryffindor._

Eventually, Hermione's eyes just seemed to run dry. Her face felt old, and caked with tears; she unlocked the door and went out to wash her face. There was an odd smell about the room; kind of rotten eggs and old socks all at once. It got almost overpowering, and she reached for the door to the corridor -

And a troll stomped through it. Terrified, Hermione backed towards the sinks, before realising she was in the _opposite side of the room to the door._ And then the lock clicked.

She was locked in.

With a troll.

Help.

Hermione cursed her luck, nearly crying again with fear. She forgot all about the fact that no-one liked her; she just prayed that someone, anyone, even if they hated her and hit her afterwards, would come and save her.

The she watched, amazed, as two boys, two black and orange blurs, fought the troll.

She watched as the teachers came in.

She watched as the boys nearly got detention for a month.

She watched in absolute terror as her body took responsibility for the troll.

She watched as her body trooped back to Gryffindor tower.

As she told her story to the waiting Gryffindors.

As Fred and George congratulated her.

As she claimed to be tired.

As she fell into bed, completely numb with shock.


	4. FOR MERLIN'S SAKE, HERMIONE!

In the coming months, Hermione didn't regret the troll at all.

Suddenly, she wasn't just the reject know-it-all; she was troll fighter, and responsibility taker. She was with Harry and Ron now, a trio. She apologised for things like stopping the boys going on a midnight duel because of the points (she maintained she would still stop them, but this time for their safety). Occasionally she sat with Fred and George. Their dynamic didn't change, though Hermione kind of wished it did. She wished they would be honest with her, and stop being her 'friends'. She hadn't done anything to earn them, like she had with Harry and Ron. She wasn't even a nice person. She just wanted them to stop being so _nice._

"Just STOP," she told them in the common room, closing her books. 

Fred and George looked at her in confusion from the sofa, where their prank plans were spread in front of them. 

"We know you don't approve, Mione-" George said, 

"But you also know we're doing them anyway. Why have you suddenly taken up this battle again?" Fred finished, raising an eyebrow. "Ron hasn't put you up to this, has he?"

Hermione sighed. "I don't care about your pranks-"

"Well, you do, but you've given up trying to do something about it," George interrupted.

Hermione nodded. "OK, yes. I mean, stop being so nice."

"You mean, do an actually cool prank?" Fred said. "Jeez, Mine, I didn't know those boys changed you so much!"

"FRED!" Hermione shouted, glad there was no-one else in the common room.

"Oh my god," George said, completely serious for once. "She called you Fred."

Fred's face had fallen so much it could have fallen off altogether. 

"I MEAN, I'M NOT A CHARITY CASE!" Hermione screamed. Her hair crackled with untamed energy, and Fred stood up, frowning. 

"No-one said you were," he said.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Just, you can stop pretending now, OK? I've earned some friends. You don't have to be good people or whatever. You don't have to keep this up; you don't have too keep humouring me. You can go be classic third -years, and I'll keep Ron and Harry alive."

Fred plonked himself down next to her. "Hold up there, Mine."

"First of all, we're not pretending," George told her. "We're your friends and we love you."

"Yeah, have I been calling you 'Mine' for nothing?" Fred agreed. "Second, you don't earn friendship. You earn the trust between friends, but everyone deserves friendship and the chance to develop it."

"Like our friendship has developed. But when you're out there with Ron and Harry, keeping them alive, who is keeping you alive?" George added. 

"You can always come and be sarcastic and wrestle trolls with us, Mine," Fred said, hugging her. "But remember what I said about trust? You're going to need to earn a bit of that back."

With that, he stood and went to his dorm. George watched him go, heaving a sigh. "He's an emotional man, is Fred. He gives everything, to everything; he gave his heart and soul to this alliance, Mione, and your distrust in the base of it has really hurt him. You've broken a little bit of what he's given you. And yet, he's done something very, very unusual. He has told you to earn it back. He gives everything, but normally that means he also takes everything away. With you? Nah. You just have to show him that you have given what he has. That you have laid that much on the line - that you can and will do that for him."

George arose and followed Fred, leaving Hermione somewhere she hadn't expected to be. Wasn't she meant to be the one setting terms?

-

Hermione decided that space was a good idea.

She spent all her time with Ron and Harry, throwing herself into their research for the Philosopher's Stone. She read countless books, tiring herself out so that it was all she could do to stumble up her stairs and into bed at night before she passed out. And that was how she wanted it; she didn't want to have to go back to Fred and talk it out. She didn't know what to say. What did you say, when you'd assumed a friendship was fake and damaged it in the process?

She hadn't had much experience with friendships. She'd always been isolated because of her love of learning. And therefore, she'd never saved one. Did that even happen?

And the search for Nicholas Flamel went on, of course. As trees flooded the Great Hall, as baubles floated along the ceiling and suits of armour burst into song, Hermione was getting more and more frustrated. The library had buoyed her through everything, through friendships, classes, tears, anger, happiness; it was her guide, and her extensive reading was her pride and joy. But it didn't have ANYTHING on Flamel! Nothing! At all! Sometimes she wondered if she should just ask Fred and George, but they might ask too many questions.

 _Since when have Fred and George asked questions?_ a voice asked her, inside her head. _You know they don't. Go. Ask them._

But I'm not friends with them, she thought back desperately. I'm not. I have to earn the trust back.

_And how much trust are you showing, by ignoring them, after they'd asked you to help them fix this?_

Well - none, she admitted, but they're still angry. George said Fred takes everything away. 

_He said that normally that's what happens. But Fred wants you back, too, you know it - and you miss George, don't you? You miss the middle ground. You miss being able to complain about Fred, and him telling you he's been cleaning up Fred's messes since 1978. You miss him sitting opposite you, and taking your hand, and calming you down, don't you? And of course you miss Fred. You miss the hugs, cos you don't get hugs from Ron and Harry, do you? You miss the warmth. The smiles. The laughter. You miss both of their positivity. You miss their bounce. You miss their energy. You miss them taking away your books and making you play Exploding Snap. AND you miss Alicia, and Katie, and Angelina, and Lee, and everyone who comes with Fred and George, don't you? You miss -_

OK, OK, I miss the twins, Hermione sighed. But what do I say?

And so, Hermione ignored that little, sensible, helpful voice in the back of her head, and went on missing the twins. 


	5. Hermione, that IS danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please salute me for my effort in finding synonyms for 'tell'. And, can anyone tell me when they smuggled a dragon? I want to know when to get protective Fred and George out the bag.

Hermione was standing in line for the Floo. 

She was going skiing again this Christmas, even though she wanted to stay and help the boys find Flamel. She also knew that they wouldn't do many research over the break; could she blame them? She had been working them very hard. They deserved a break.

"Oi, Mione! Stop thinking!"

Hermione swivelled so fast she would have fallen if Fred hadn't caught her. "Woah, careful there, Mine."

"I'm OK. Just a bit of a fright, that's all."

"I _told_ George you would fall over if he shouted. Did the idiot listen? Nope."

"Hey, he was just trying to be nice," Hermione said defensively. She still hadn't pushed herself out of Fred's grasp. The voice in her head was getting smugger and smugger by the minute, but she couldn't make herself leave the safety she associated with the twins. 

"See? Mione understands," George said, grinning. He pried her off of Fred and held her instead. "We both know I'm her favourite."

"No way! I'm her favourite!" Fred said. Somehow, the familiar banter between them forced the little voice to the front. Hermione burst into tears. 

"Hey, hey," George said softly. He slid down, still hugging her, so that they were both on the floor. Fred knelt next to her. Everyone else in the line watched them, but Hermione couldn't stop her tears - or words. 

"I'm s-sorry," she blubbed. Fred took her hand and began tracing patterns. " I shouldn't have - I meant - I didn't -"

"It's alright," George said soothingly. Seeing her sceptical expression, he added, "If it wasn't, would we both be here now? Would we have come to say Merry Christmas? Would we be hugging you right now?"

Fred squeezed her hand. Maybe he didn't know what to say; maybe George has said it for him. Whatever, he smiled his trademark crooked smile, and helped her back up (smoothly pulling her off George in the process). 

"I know it was mainly my melodrama that cause this, Mine," Fred sighed, "But you're still _Mine._ I think you thought you were giving us space, or something, but we're here today to say it wasn't necessary."

"We want to give you a Christmas present, and say that we are officially real friends. All over again!"

George produced a bobble hat which Fred rammed on her head. He bopped her nose, and then leant down all his face was next to hers. George leant down too, and they both smirked evilly.

"We're not here to interrogate you, Mine -"

"But if you are going to be doing something dangerous, we want to know about it."

They stood up, each gave her a hug, and walked away. _Something dangerous?_ Was Flamel dangerous? How did Fred and George know? Did they know, or were they guessing?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Parvati Patil, who had dragged her suitcase alongside Hermione's.

"Are you friends with them?" She asked, nodding at the twins' retreating backs.

Hermione smiled softly. As loud as she could, she said, "Yes, I am."

Fred and George spun, beaming, to face her. "You can't get rid of us easily, you know!" George called back.

" you're stuck with us forever! " Fred agreed, then they walked backwards to the corner, waved, and were gone.

Parvati sighed dreamily. "How did you get the cutest guys in junior school?"

"Um. They're my friends..... " Hermione replied, confused.

"Well, yeah, but they're still The Weasley Twins."

"I don't think of them like that. Not only are they thirteen, they're Ron's brothers and they're just my _friends._ I'm not even attracted to them."

"Sure. Plus, two is better than one, am I right?"

"Uh. Nooo. They're two different people, and I don't like like either of them."

"OK, OK, you don't think they're cute. I get it. But I do and I am majorly envious, Hermione. You have to tell me your story when we come back!"

Hermione thought she had never had a more random, weird, or unrepeatable conversation in her life. She hoped Fred and George never found out.

-

Her Christmas was lovely. Hermione had been worried that she would be unable too talk to her parents, since they didn't understand school, but everyone did their best. Jean was fascinated to hear all about Hermione's friends, and Hermione tried not to take it as an insult that her mother was so amazed at the fact she had friends.

"There 's Fred and George, they're twins," Hermione said for the millionth time. "They were my first friends. They introduced me to everyone else, but I haven't spoken to anyone else in while."

Jean studied the wizarding photograph, taken on Hermione's twelfth birthday. "Why not?"

"Well, I met Harry and Ron, and so I just lost contact."

"Contact them," Richard commanded , taking the picture from his wife.

"What?"

"send them an owl. Now."

"O-ok...."

" You can't lose contact with these people just because you have other friends. They helped you into this world, and they look really nice and welcoming. From what you've told us about Ron and Harry, they're quite high maintenance! Make sure you have friends who will look after you and don't require you to only be one version of yourself. "

Though Hermione knew Ron and Harry weren't bad friends, and they would do anything for her, she also understood that her parents were right. It was an echo of what Fred and George said.

_who's keeping you alive?_

_you can always come and be sarcastic and wrestle trolls with us._

She grinned at the memory, and sat down to write a letter.

-

Sometimes, Hermione wished Harry and Ron would _do_ something to help themselves.

She came back from her holiday to see that they didn't know who Flamel was, and they hadn't done any of their homework. She would never let them copy hers, but she knew she undermined herself when she corrected their essays.

Exasperated, Hermione decided she would try to fix things with the twins - although, her helpful little voice reminded her, things were already fixed. They'd written back right away, and Hermione was grateful they were so nice.

"Hey, Freddie, George," she said, plonking herself next to them.

George's eyebrows disappeared in his fringe, and Fred nearly fell over in shock, but they both managed to return her greeting.

"What brings you over to our humble corner, Mione?" George asked. 

"Harry and Ron," Hermione admitted.

"What did they do now?" Fred sighed.

"Well, that's it - they haven't done anything. They haven't done any of their homework, and they don't even know who-" but then Hermione stopped, because she wasn't allowed to tell anyone.

Fred raised an eyebrow. "I see. Anything you'd like to tell us, Mine?"

"No..." Hermione said. She felt her face flush with colour.

George hummed in disbelief. "Uh-huh. 'Member how we told you, _don't do anything dangerous, at least without telling us first_?"

"Yeah!"

"So, spit it out."

"I can't."

"Why not?" Fred asked. He tugged Hermione over so she was squashed between him and George.

"Loyalties."

"Don't you have any loyalties to us, Mione?"

"Uh. Yes?"

"Come on then - as George so eloquently put it, spit it out."

"But Harry and Ron will be mad at me!"

George sighed. He pulled out a bit of paper, tapped it with his wand, signed it and passed it to Fred, who also signed it. "Better?"

"What was that?" Hermione asked, intrigued. 

"I've charmed this bit of paper to jinx us if we tell Harry and Ron. Alright?"

Hermione sighed. "I don't _want_ to keep it from you, you know. It's just breaking trust with the others, isn't it - and I haven't promised to tell you everything. I've promised to keep quiet."

"Au contraire, Mine," Fred replied, tapping her nose. "You said you'd tell us before you did something dangerous. And I **know** what you're doing is at least against school rules, and for you to do that . . . yeah, it's dangerous."

"Spill the beans. Talk. Inform. Speak. Notify. Instruct. Command. Reveal. Report-"

"When did you turn into a thesaurus, George?"

"-Disclose. Mention. Divulge. Recount. Determine. Relate. Ascertain. Let know. Communicate. Narrate. Impart, and, Fred's favourite-"

"-Blab!" Fred finished enthusiastically. "So come on, or should we continue?"

"You know the third floor corridor?"


	6. Hermione, I swear down-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where are you going with this?? Is the question running through all of your minds at the moment.
> 
> Well, dear friends . . . . I have absolutely no idea.
> 
> However, I've done my best with first year (yeah, I know, I missed some stuff. I didn't think Norbert was that important in the scheme of things). Let me know what you thought!

"Snape's trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone!"

"What?!" Hermione cried in disbelief. She'd come across some odd ideas in her friendship with Harry (and the dragon was the least of them), but this was just ridiculous. "Snape won't steal it. He helped protect it!"

"Well, that probably just means that it's easier for him to get it," Harry replied, trying to take her book away. "We have to stop him!"

"Because he's going to steal it at lunchtime," Hermione said sarcastically. "If you really think so, tell Dumbledore or someone. There's nothing I can do - and anyway, like I said, no-one would steal anything when they had a job to go to."

"She's right, y'know, Harry," Ron said. "If Snape's gonna steal it, he'll wait until we're all in bed or something. He probably already knows we're on his trail. Tell a teacher. Never thought I'd say that, but there you go."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "OK. I'll wait. You're right, anyway, Hermione. He's got teaching to do."

Hermione nodded, satisfied. "Good. Don't do anything you'll regret, Harry." And then the bell rang. 

-

 _Don't do anything you'll regret, Harry._ Hermione wished with all her heart that she had the strength to follow her own advice. Here she was, following Harry to yet another (possibly deadly) 'adventure', when all she wanted was to read the new Lockhart book, squished between Fred and George. Well, they were in bed anyway - she should be, too. But what was she doing? Oh yeah. Possibly following her friends to her death. What a life she was living.

Well, at least Harry was prepared enough to have a musical instrument. Hermione couldn't stop her eyes from wandering to where the harp sat in the corner, twanging occasionally as its spell wore off. Harry had been right - Snape was trying to steal the stone. Maybe if she'd let Harry go right away, or at least gone to a teacher, they wouldn't be about to face any number of certain deaths. Maybe Harry would make it out alive. Maybe they all would! Maybe none of them would.

She sighed. She didn't half wish Fred and George were here. They were at least tall, and warm, and bulky from their Beater career. They were what her head filed as 'safe', even if they did constantly set off fireworks. And they were older. Knew more spells. Ron was tall too; she inched closer to him as the trio edged towards the trap door. He wasn't the right height, and he didn't smell of gunpowder. However, he took her hand for a brief second before he jumped down into the pit. It calmed her, even for just a second.

Their first trial had Hermione panicked already. As Ron yelled vague instructions from the pit, she fluttered around them, trying hard to remember a way to light a fire - of any kind, she reminded herself, as Ron helpfully shouted "Are you a witch or not?!" She eventually managed to shoot bluebell flames at the plant, and squeezed her eyes shut to prevent herself from crying. Ron tugged on her sleeve - free from the plant! - and they all passed through the door. 

The trials just kept on coming. Hermione felt a bit like Hercules, or whoever it was who had tasks set him by the king of somewhere. In her heated brain, she couldn't remember any facts that could numb her fear. She resorted to humming, in an attempt to feel just a little bit normal, in a normal situation.

Then Ron fell. Well, he wasn't dead, she reassured herself, searching for a pulse. And she went on, determined to make her knowledge count. She nearly fainted in relief when she saw her next task. Just logic. 

But she had to leave Harry. A fit of emotion helped her say goodbye, reminding him that he was a great wizard. _Friendship and bravery,_ she heard herself blub. And then she went back through the fire, woke Ron, and together they made a mad dash for Dumbledore.

As they clattered through the Entrance Hall on the way to the owlery, they ran into the great wizard himself. "Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?" Dumbledore cried, before grabbing bunches of his robes and sprinting back the way Hermione had come. Hermione's sigh of relief was eclipsed by Ron's cry of pain. Swivelling quickly, she dashed to the Hospital Wing, supporting Ron as best she could. She finished by practically dragging him into Madam Pomfrey's office. 

"What's going on?" the matron demanded, taking Ron from Hermione. "What happened? How did he get into this state - and you! Where have you been?"

Hermione sighed. "I don't know whether I'm allowed to tell you. We've both had quite a great shock, and Professor Dumbledore will bring Harry soon, I think. I suppose he'll explain it to you. For now, do you think we could just have some Pepper-up Potion, or something?"

"Not at all," Madam Pomfrey said, clicking back into Healer mode. "If Dumbledore knows what's going on, I'm sure it's OK. Come on, hop into bed - honestly, what kids do to themselves nowadays! Ron'll need more than Pepper-up, dear, but I think you're fine. Maybe some potions for shock, and - let's see - yes, maybe concussion. You look like you've had a knock."

As Madam Pomfrey bustled around them, Hermione felt her eyelids drooping closed. The matron saw this, and nodded. "That's right, dear - go to sleep. I'll give this one some Dreamless Sleep in a minute anyway, so you're best following his example."

That was the last thing Hermione heard for a long, long time.

-

"Quick, Fred, she's coming round!"

"Oh, good - just Harry to go, then."

Hermione blinked a few times as the room came into focus. She saw two ginger heads grouped near her, and another one further away, all looking in her direction.

"Hermione!" what she recognised as Ron's voice called out. "You're awake! Thank goodness - Harry's still out cold."

"Is Harry OK?" Hermione asked, forehead creasing.

"We don't know, Mione," George said, tucking her hair behind her ears. "He's alive. He's technically healthy, but he's also in a coma."

"How long?"

"Have you been out, or has Harry been out?" Fred asked, amusement seeping into his tone.

"I - well - both, I suppose."

"You've been out a day. Harry the same, of course, but he hasn't woken up. However, we're only to get worried if he stays under longer than a week," George reeled off.

"Talking of worried," Fred continued, "What did we say? _Don't do anything dangerous without telling us first._ We woke up in the morning, and there was no you, no Ron, and no Harry. You weren't at breakfast. You weren't in the hallways. Not at lunch. Not dinner. Not in the common room. No-one bothers to tell us, of course, where you are until this morning. We come down - and there's Ron doing the crossword, you out cold, and Harry opposite you in an effing _coma._ When I say that-"

"Alright, alright," Hermione sighed, "I get it. You were worried. Although I did tell you first. Just - months in advance."

"Fred was pretty much out of his mind," George laughed. "Honestly, you should have seen him. Badgering Ron for what happened. Sitting here, but not able to keep still - I thought, still do, that it was hilarious."

"You weren't worried, then, George?" Hermione grinned.

"Nope!" said George breezily. "If there's anyone who can drag two useless boys through a three-headed dog, a chess game, flying keys, and a game of poison logic, it's you, Mione."

"Well, Ron did the chess game, and Harry subdued the dog. Harry also taught us how to catch the keys, and-"

"HEY!" Fred interrupted. "Stop undermining yourself. You did a great job, Mine - but don't do it ever again."


	7. Hermione, you're a danger to society

Harry woke up two days later. He bounded down the stairs to the Great Hall, clearly relieved that everything was sorted.

Hermione, who was once again squashed between Fred and George, stood up and sprinted towards him. She crashed into him with the force of an elephant on steroids, but he didn't seem to mind - he hugged her back just as fiercely, and then they both went to sit down together.

"Alright, there, Harry?" Fred greeted him, after Ron had finished nearly exploding with relief. 

"Alright," Harry grinned back. Then they all turned to listen to Professor Dumbledore, who awarded Gryffindor House enough points to run ahead of Slytherin . . . and win the House Cup.

Uproar greeted his words; most people seemed happy that Slytherin had been beaten. Hermione joined the pile of Gryffindors who had jumped onto Neville, squealing her excitement. After hugging him, she picked her way back to her seat. Fred and George were standing on the table, displaying a surprisingly skillful victory dance. When they'd finished, they used their extraordinary balance to jump back into their places beside Hermione.

"Only Mine could get into so much trouble that she should be expelled, but wins the House Cup instead," Fred observed, wincing as Seamus blew himself up again in an effort to produce confetti. 

"Too true!" George laughed. "No-one hoodwinks teachers like our 'Mione." 

-

For some reason, the entire Weasley family had turned up to see them back from Hogwarts (to be fair, half of the family was at school already, so Ron's three other siblings and his parents just gave Hermione the impression of a very large, ginger crowd). Harry didn't stop to greet them - he was crushed into a hug by Mrs Weasley, waved at Ron, and strolled apprehensively through the barrier. Hermione doubted he'd even seen the others, being too preoccupied with returning to his bad-tempered relatives. Herself, however - well, she took the time. Her parents had bothered to come through the wall to greet her on the platform anyway, so it wasn't like she was keeping anyone waiting. She hadn't intended to go near the Weasleys, but Fred and George stopped her going back to the Muggle world quite yet.

"You have to meet our brothers!" George said. The twins hooked their arms through Hermione's, and led her to where Mrs Weasley stood, exclaiming about how tall Ron had got.

"Oi, Mum!" Fred yelled. "Come and meet Mine!"

"Your what?" a shorter, muscled young man asked, clearly confused at the nickname.

"His Hermione, obviously," George said, rolling his eyes. "Jeez."

The man raised his eyebrow, but offered his hand. "I'm Charlie."

"Nice to meet you," Hermione answered, shaking his hand. George drifted away to talk to his mother. Charlie turned his head towards the redheaded group. 

"Oi, Bill! Come and meet Fred's Hermione!"

Hermione felt her face going red, but Fred slung his arm across her shoulders to keep her where she was. A tall guy with long red hair shook Hermione's hand. 

"Hi," he said. "I'm Bill - you're Hermione, I'm guessing?"

She nodded. Then what seemed like a red firework barreled into her. "Hihihihihihihihihiiiii!" the firework yelled.

Fred grinned, and used his free arm to separate Hermione from the ginger menace. "Alright, Gin, keep your trademark hair on."

"Sorry!" Gin near shouted. "Hi, Hermione, I'm Ginny. I've heard so much about you-"

"Who from?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Fred, George, Ron," Ginny listed breathlessly. "You sound like so much fun! And you annoy Ron too!" Ginny covered her mouth in embarrassment, but Hermione just laughed.

"You're right," she said. "A girl's got to have a hobby."

"Hermione!" Charlie yelled, streaking up behind Ginny. "Much as I hate to interrupt your Ron-bonding with Ginny, I think you have to go home now."

"OK," Hermione said, feeling a little relieved. It was no wonder Fred, George and Ginny were so loud; you had to be, in the Weasley family. Mrs Weasley squeezed her into a hug. 

"I'll meet you properly on September the first, dear," she said. Hermione nodded.

"Write!" several voices chorused from the crowd. 

Hermione grinned. "Will do! Bye Fred," she added, hugging him. "Where's George? I want to hug him too."

"GEORGE!" Fred shouted. George appeared, and Hermione hugged him fiercely. 

"Don't do any damage, don't bully Ron, write to me," she reeled off. "Bye."

Everyone waved as Hermione ran back to her parents, and stepped through the barrier.

"Well," Jean said. "I think it's safe to say none of us expected quite so many!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This won't be a regular thing - the whole, Fred POV thing. Just because there's only so much you can do in a family of three, and a family of nine makes it so much more interesting!

"Post!" Ginny yelled up the stairs. 

Fred rolled out of bed. "Any good thoughts for today, Gred?"

"Nah," George answered, tumbling onto the floor. "Let's get our post."

They thundered down the stairs, making a screeching turn into the kitchen. 

"Why don't you just jump down the stairs?" Bill asked sarcastically, handing them their letters.

"No room," George answered, ripping open a letter from Lee. 

Fred looked through his letters. One from Angelina, one from Lee, and one from Hermione. "Do you reckon Katie and Alicia are being held hostage, or something? They haven't written all week," he frowned.

"Ach, I think they're in Brazil, or somewhere. Bit far for their owls, isn't it? 'Sides, I can't think of anything to say to them," George said absently.

Fred tore open his letter from Hermione.

_Dear Freddie -_

_I hope you aren't in as much trouble as you sound. As I have been trying to tell you all year, trouble isn't fun. Trouble just means detention, and who thinks that's fun? Besides, there are ways to make trouble without actually being in trouble. Your problem is, you're far too obvious, and trademark. Wouldn't be surprised if you left bits of parchment saying 'Fred was here' every time you do a prank. There's no way that half the things you do aren't immediately connected with you and George. Talk about conspicuous._

_I'm in France right now. AND I'M TELLING YOU NOW, FREDERICK WEASLEY, IF YOU USE ERROL AGAIN YOU'LL BE IN MORE THAN TROUBLE. I've sent my letter with my parent's owl, Aphrodite. Give her a treat and use her instead. If Ron or George is writing, best wait for their reply too. Although Ron doesn't write novels like you and George do (especially you), so Errol might hold out a bit longer._

_You are very bold, you know, to suggest marriage without even giving me a ring. However, I suppose Gretna Green doesn't require one. Do you like Scotland much? What a stupid question! You go to school there! Or, it's assumed so, anyway. In 'Hogwarts, A History', it says that Hogwarts has been unplottable since they worked out how to put buildings on a map. Do wizards have maps? I mean, proper ones, not ones that shout 'you've arrived!' or whatever. You know what, never mind. I hope I haven't given you another stupid-but-brilliant idea._

"Hey, George!" Fred exclaimed. "Mine says we're brilliant!"

"WHAT?!" George shouted. He bounded over to where Fred held out the letter.

"Yeah, look, here."

"Wicked! Hey, Bill, look, 'Mione says we're brilliant!"

"Oh my god. Another brainwashed child. Mum, have we got any more toast?"

"Always thinking about food," Charlie sighed. "In what context does Hermione say you're brilliant, though? Does it have any connection with the words 'reckless', 'stupid', 'ridiculous', 'dangerous'-"

"We get the point, thank you, Charlie," Fred said, frowning. "I don't like your opinion of us, you know."

"Whatever," Charlie replied, airily. "I'm right, and I know it."

George swore under his breath at him. Charlie laughed. "I also have excellent hearing. Do you want me to repeat that in front of Mum?"

Fred and George pulled identical faces, and Fred turned back to his letter.

_I wish I could rub out ink. I would start again, but I'm quite proud of my handwriting in this one._

_Maybe I should just stop here. Another letter coming right after your next one gets here, which will probably be longer, if I can refrain from giving you bad ideas._

_Yours (and you named me, so you should know),_

_Princess Hermione_ x

The letter was snatched out of his hand just as Fred reached the last line. Ginny's eyes flew over the lines like a vulture, before she turned back to Fred with a beaming grin that was only associated with trouble.

"Biiillllll," she began. Bill doted on Ginny like there was no tomorrow, so whatever she was planning, he was sure to help.

"Yeeessss," he replied, looking up from the Prophet.

"FredismarryingHermionesowehavetotellMum!" Ginny blurted before Fred could shove his hand over her mouth.

"Fred's what?" Charlie asked, amused. "Did I hear that he was mar-" Fred was quicker that time.

George held out his hand for the letter, which Ginny gave him. He read it over, before handing it back to Fred.

"This looks to me like some terrific inside jokes," George grinned. "Luckily, I know all about it, since Fred is my twin and Hermione is a very good friend. We've been wondering, actually, Fred - how long is too long before we begin our passionate affair?"

Bill jumped in before Fred could answer. "I think when they come back from honeymoon would be a good idea."

"Yeah!" Charlie nodded enthusiastically. "I agree. Fred and Hermione run off, get married, spent - what - a week in Paris? Then they come home, and George and Hermione can begin their affair. Good planning, boys. I'm proud of your new organisational skills."

At that moment, Ron basically fell into the kitchen. "Something's up with Harry."

The summer just got crazy from there.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, Hermione and the Weasleys meet in Diagon Alley. But we all know what happens, don't we? So let's move onto a more interesting subject - the train ride . . . .

Hermione loved her magical world, she really did, but her parents were just . . . home.

Leaving them on the platform - a year ago now - was heart-wrenching, even if Hermione had read books (and books, and books) about Hogwarts. She was going where her old life couldn't follow her, and that was terrifying beyond anything she'd ever done before; beyond falling off the wall at the bottom of her garden, beyond climbing her favourite tree (and breaking her wrist), beyond being pulled through rioting crowds when she was just five. And yet, as term approached again, Hermione couldn't quell the excitement that radiated from her very being. She'd enjoyed her break, and her time in France, and her marriage proposal via letter from Fred, and her offer of an affair via letter from George, and she was ready. More ready than last year, because it wasn't unknown anymore. She had friends, she had real knowledge, and if that isn't prepared, then what is?

"Are you ready?" Jean asked her, standing once again in the steamy, sooty clouds that billowed from the train. "Any time, you know, Hermione - write, we'll be waiting. And if you don't fit in, if it doesn't work - well, you know what to do."

"Thanks, really, Mum," Hermione laughed, "But by now I'm not even anxious."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Sure you're not. But we've seen that you've got some people looking out for you. We're not worried - are we, Jean?"

Jean wiped a small tear from her eye, and then grinned. "Not at all. I saw those twins hanging off you. You're safe at Hogwarts!"

Hermione blushed a little, hugged her parents, and hopped onto the train. She leaned out of the window, scanning the crowds. She couldn't see Harry and Ron anywhere, but a cloud of ginger seemed to be migrating towards her. 

She withdrew her head, shook the soot away, and sat down in the nearest compartment. They'd find her, or she'd find them; they'd find each other eventually.

"What ho, Granger!" a familiar voice called. Hermione rolled her eyes and raised her head.

"You gonna start calling me Granger again? Really?"

"Only part of the time!" George assured her, entering the carriage fully. He dragged Fred by the arm in too.

"'Ello, Mine," Fred smiled. "Hope Dad didn't scare your parents too badly, back in Diagon."

"Nah. They thought it was pretty funny, anyway. Where's Harry? And Ron?"

"Nice to see Ronniekins is still an afterthought," George noted, with a satisfied nod. 

"And we have no idea," Fred answered. "Nor do we have an intention of finding them."

"They're cats, they'll fall on their feet," George agreed. 

Hermione sighed, but accepted their logic. Harry and Ron never did run into harm, no matter how much trouble they found.

"Sitting down?" she asked, gesturing to the empty seats around her. 

"Yeah! We're just collecting the gang, and then you're stuck with us."

Hermione grinned at the thought of the 'gang'. She hadn't talked to them in _so long._ Now she thought about it, she missed Alicia's hugs. 

"HERMIONE!" a commanding voice sounded, before Hermione was swept up into a hug. "How DARE you ditch us for those twitchy little eleven year olds!"

"Angelina!" Hermione laughed, hugging back. "Well, they're older now. Guess my maternal instincts went into overdrive."

"Speaking of," a softer voice called, and Hermione was swooped into another hug. Hermione pulled back from Alicia, smiling like a loon.

"Alicia!" she smiled. Turning to Angelina, to make sure the older girl knew she was included, Hermione grinned. "I've missed you both so much. Sit down - sit - I'm sorry I didn't write, I had no idea where you were-"

"We were in Brazil," Katie interrupted. She, too, hugged Hermione before plonking herself next to Angelina. "Well, me and Alicia were. We've missed you, you know. Just because those prats of yours need looking after doesn't mean we don't want you!"

"Prats indeed," Fred agreed, sitting down next to Hermione. "No idea where Lee's gone, he'll turn up," he added to Alicia, who looked slightly panicked.

"D'you know that Ron, the great pillock, called 'Mione here a nightmare?" George asked, flumping down on Hermione's other side.

"Before we were friends," Hermione hurried to add. "I think they know, George, I spent all day with them then."

"We didn't, actually," Alicia frowned. "I wondered why you stopped spending all day with us, actually - was it because of Ron?"

"Pretty much," Fred answered, before Hermione could speak. "Told her she had no friends. Of course, Mine decided to believe him, which was an elementary mistake."

Katie hummed in agreement. "Well, whatever it was, we're back now - and we're NEVER letting you go!"

"I hope Harry likes second place," Angelina agreed. "We're not giving Hermione up without a fight."

"Yeah! Inspirational talk!" Lee called from the doorway. Alicia leapt up to hug him, before sitting down again, looking slightly embarrassed. 

"Oooooh," everyone except Lee and Alicia chorused. George cracked his knuckles for some unknown reason, making Hermione jump.

"Sorry, 'Mione," he said.

"Yeah. Just gotta warn Lee, though - Alicia is our sister," Fred added, glaring at Lee.

"Mm-hmm. Look after her, buster!" Angelina said warningly.

"Did I miss something major this summer?" Katie wondered aloud. Hermione laughed.

"Nah. It's developing now," she assured the older girl. Katie's eyes widened, before they lit up with malice.

"I didn't want to have to threaten you, Lee, but Alicia comes first."

"OK, OK!" Alicia yelped. "Calm down! I only hugged him! Keep your shipping to yourselves, _Angelina._ "

Angelina shrugged. "Can't promise anything."

As the train chugged forwards, through towns and country alike, Hermione wondered why she ever stopped hanging out with her 'gang'. They were so funny, excitable, full of life . . . and none of them ever needed her to do anything for them. The odd favour, or maybe (in the twins' case) a diversion, but there was no life or death, no threats, no theories, no 'look-over-my-homework-because-that's-your-job', no 'hermione-you-deal-with-my-responsibilities-while-i-take-a-nap'. Harry and Ron were good friends, brave and loyal, sometimes you need to be able to let loose.

-

Of course they did. They couldn't _not._ Once the opportunity presented itself, no matter the consequences, they had to do it.

"FLYING A CAR?!" Hermione's mind screamed, as she watched Snape collect McGonagall and Dumbledore. "OF ALL THE THINGS YOU COULD HAVE DONE, YOU FLEW A FRICKING CAR INTO HOGWARTS? INTO THE **WHOMPING WILLOW**???? MERLIN, MORGANA, GODS, CIRCE . . . WHOEVER'S THERE, JUST PLEASE, PLEASE TEACH THEM TACTICS TO KEEP THEIR OWN HEADS ATTACHED TO THEIR NECKS."

George leaned over the table, towards her. "I can hear you yelling at the boys, 'Mione. Just - let them be, tonight, OK? I think flying into the Whomping Willow at all it enough of a punishment."

"Well, fine. But I'm not going to talk to them. Whatever they get from me, they deserve, you hear me? No need for me to ask them if they're alright. They'll probably get a whole _party,_ won't they? From you?"

"No," Fred said immediately. "In fact, we'll be having words with Ickle Ronniekins."

"Imagine flying a car into the Whomping Willow-"

"Without telling us!"

Hermione sighed. She should have known. "Whatever. I probably won't talk to them for a while, anyway."

"Don't worry," George grinned. "Mum'll have sent a Howler already. It might even get here this evening."

"That'll make your day, 'Mine!"

Hermione stood up. "I'm sure. I think I'll just go to bed, now - tell the boys I said hello, and I'll see them tomorrow."

-

The Howler did make Hermione's day. In some way, she hated how predictable she was. In another, she loved that the twins knew her so well. As she chatted to Angelina, Hermione noticed Ron's ears still hadn't returned to their usual colour after snapping at her ( _"Don't say I deserved it")._ Fred and George had nearly burst from holding in their laughter, especially at Harry's expression when Mrs Weasley assured him that she didn't blame him. 

"Priceless!" Fred choked.

"Wish I had a camera!" George wheezed, turning purple.

Fred's face matched his hair as he fought another wave of laughter. "The sheer panic on his face-"

"Thought he was going to hide under the table like Ron-"

"Probably felt really bad, bless him-"

"But Mum wouldn't blame him. Ron on the other hand-"

"Basically maroon!"

"Imagine, yelled at on your first day of school-"

"Broke our record-"

"Detention on his first day-"

"Thought his ears were going to catch fire!"

Both twins were now practically rolling in their seats, puce with laughter. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Grow up, you two."

Fred sat straight up. "Here that, George?"

"So I did, Fred. Sounded almost like dear Mione wants us to be miserable."

Fred pulled a sad face. "That sounds miserable."

That set them off again, and Hermione judged it a good time to go to Herbology.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a very short, very bad chapter because writer's block is REAL and I feel like I should upload something (it's been so long! Sorry!).
> 
> However, I am ploughing on regardless and the next chapter is in the (slightly dilapidated) works.

_Harry was hearing voices._

Of course he was. Why wouldn't he? He was Harry Potter, and she was Hermione Granger, and they were best friends with Ron Weasley, and trouble followed them like an over affectionate puppy. Voices in the walls, writing in blood, water on the floor, and a petrified cat. Sounds like an ordinary day in the world of 'trying-to-keep-out-of-trouble'.

And, oh yeah - she was a Mudblood.

Fred and George caught up to her as she was hurrying back to the common room. She still had no idea where they came from, or how they did that, but right now she was just glad to have some company.

"Where're the other two?" Fred asked her. 

"Other two what?"

"Other two petrifyers of Filch's cat," George said impatiently.

"We didn't do that!" Hermione cried. "And I don't know. Already back in the common room, I think."

"Well, if it wasn't you, we're disappointed," Fred told her.

"Yeah, Mione," George agreed. "We thought you'd done some good in the world."

"Obviously I will just have to keep being the demon I am," Hermione said, exasperated. "Where are you two going?" she added, as the twins turned towards another corridor.

"Hospital Wing!" Fred called out joyfully. "We want to see if we can convince Madam Pomfrey to just throw the cat out of the window!"

"The name's Mrs Norris!" Hermione called back, shaking her head (but unable to stop her smile).

"Of course she's a cat person," she heard George mutter as they turned the corner and disappeared.

XxXxX

Rumours were one thing, but likely rumours were quite another. And it was quite a likely rumour that was circulating right about now; the Chamber of Secrets was open once again.

So, Hermione summoned all of her Gryffindor courage, and raised her hand in History of Magic.

"I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?"

 _That's worked,_ she thought happily, as she watched the rest of the class stir from the daze they were usually in when they went anywhere near Professor Binns. 

But after Professor Binns finished his explanation, she didn't feel any closer to the truth.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short one - but I'm hoping that more, smaller updates is better than less, bigger ones?
> 
> I don't know. Tell me what you think!

Hermione watched, terrified, as Harry swooped away from the Bludger once again.

"HIT THE BLUDGER!" she screamed at Fred as he swung his bat.

"OH MY GOD, DUCK!" she shouted as Harry turned (just in time) to see a heavy black ball zoom towards him.

Her ears imitated cracks and screams as she saw both twins sandwich Harry between them, waving their Beater bats. "I know you're strong," she added, in a slightly more normal voice. "Get the Bludger away from Harry." 

Ron looked at her like she was half mad and half idiot.

The whistle blew for time out, and Hermione sighed with relief. Either the game would be called off, or the Bludger would be fixed - or Harry at least might get a strategy to avoid it.

She was slightly distracted by George's shouts. Amused, she turned to see him yelling at Oliver Wood, while Fred nodded and added the odd comment. 

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, OLIVER!" George said, growing steadily more purple.

Harry said something, and George scowled. Fred shook his head, and mimed decapitation.

Hermione thought this was all very funny. George was much more logical, and was very good at _not_ shouting and _not_ letting his emotions get away with him. _He's quite the mother hen,_ she thought, watching him scream and wave his arms.

"'GET THE SNITCH OR DIE TRYING'! WHAT A STUPID THING TO TELL HIM!"  
Alicia looked angry too, and pointed accusingly at Wood. Hermione was certain she called him 'mad'.

 _They're all so protective of him,_ she mused, as Angelina started to join the conversation. 

In the end, Wood shook his head at all of them, and the game resumed. Hermione sighed - it was too much to hope that Harry would keep escaping the Bludger for long.

-

It was so _exhausting_ being constantly right. As Harry was taken to the Hospital Wing, Hermione flew at George, hugging him.

"Woah, Mione, what's this for?" George said, surprised. Hermione couldn't blame him - she didn't often hug him, which she kind of felt bad about when she realised it. 

"Thank you for shouting at Oliver," Hermione said. George went red, while Fred cackled.

"You heard that, did you?" Fred laughed. 

"I don't know what Mrs Weasley is for, you know, Fred," Hermione giggled. "George is managing to mother Harry quite well on his own."

"Shut it," George growled, shoving her (but lightly).

Hermione just grinned, and then (inadvisably) ran off to the Hospital Wing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK guys, the time for Fremione has come.
> 
> Please forgive me if I messed up the timeline, missed something important, etc, etc. Please don't get mad! I'm trying, but it's been a while.

Hermione felt very proud of herself as she watched the (probably illegal) Polyjuice Potion gurgle.

After the duelling club incident, Hermione was only too happy to get away from the crowds. She felt a little bad about breaking her promise to Fred and George - this was dangerous - but time would only tell whether it was worth admitting to or not. On the whole, she reasoned, better to keep the twins out of more illegal schemes than they already put themselves in.

Did Fred and George do anything illegal? Probably not. They were good kids, even if they bullied the Slytherins and set off fireworks and disrupted lessons and annoyed her. They were products of an old Gryffindor family moving into a new age. Hermione wasn't about to hold that against them - besides, most Slytherins were as nasty as they come. And when was the last time Fred and George pranked a Snake? It'd been a while. Thank God.

Even so - this made her worse than the twins. Shoot. When did that happen?

-

Fred and George were busy doing something loud and obnoxious when Hermione re-entered the common room. Whatever it was, it involved a lot of paper flying around, and a lot of red and gold - Gryffindor pride took on another meaning when you met a Weasley. 

As she flumped down by the fire, uncomfortably aware that her fingernails were full of potion ingredients, the twins stopped being loud and obnoxious, and started doing some rustling, and stage whispering (which she couldn't be bothered to listen to). Suddenly, two heavy weights plopped down next to her.

"Alright, Mione?" George said, as Fred plonked a large sheaf of parchment in front of her. 

"Yeah," Hermione replied, frowning as she was handed a leaflet. "What's this?"

"Plans," Fred said, cryptically. Then he grinned. "We've got career appointments next year."

"O....kay?" Hermione said, opening the booklet. "So you've got a year to think of something to tell someone you're going to do when you're older. Why are you telling me?"

"Because we already know!" George enthused. 

"We're gonna open a joke shop!" Fred added, which George scowled at him for. 

"What'd you say that for? I agreed to come over here to try and find out what she thought _before_ we went and told her!"

"Easier this way."

"Hmph."

"Don't be hard on him, George - Freddie's excitable," Hermione said diplomatically. "So, a joke shop, huh? How're you going to fund that, then?"

"We've got savings," said Fred, though he looked doubtful. "And I'm not excitable."

"Take the excuse or leave it," Hermione shrugged. "You'd need close to a thousand galleons to get a shop in Diagon Alley, though. Have you ever thought of mail order?"

"Could start with that," George agreed. "Or add it into the shop. We want to start selling at Hogwarts, though."

"And where are you making this stuff?" Hermione added.

"At home," Fred said airily. "You must have heard the explosions, 'Mine, when-" Then he stopped. "You haven't visited yet, have you? We'd better change that, Gred."

"She must hear the explosions!" George agreed. "Anyway, now we have your - uh - vote of confidence? We have some more planning to do. Might be able to launch it in a couple of years."

"Nothing dangerous!" Hermione worried. "Please. Responsibility and all that."

"OK!" George agreed, probably too quickly. The twins stood up.

"Don't be a stranger, 'Mine," Fred finished, winking. They retreated back to their corner.

Hermione wondered if she would ever get a straight answer out of anyone ever again.

-

Christmas came nearer, and Hermione wished it wasn't the ideal time to use the Polyjuice. She was going to miss her parents.

Fred and George were giggling in their corner when Hermione came down at dawn to add the lacewings. She looked at them in confusion.

"Why are you up?" she asked them. 

For a minute, it looked like they were just going to refute the question without answering it. Then George cracked a grin. "It's the HOLIDAYS, Granger! Stuff to do!"

"People to see!" Fred added. He looked Hermione over. "Now answer your own question."

"Don't have to," she reasoned. "I asked the question, I know why I'm up. Now I am the holder of information."

"You know," Fred mused, "You can get arrested for withholding information."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You don't say anything, I won't say anything. Nosy idiots." She crossed the room in as few steps as possible, and reached the portrait before a freckled arm stretched in front of her.

"You know we're blabbermouths, Mione," George said. Fred came up behind her and circled his arms around her.

Hermione struggled, and cursed quidditch for requiring strong players. "OK, OK. But I'm not-"

"You're going to say what we ask you to say, 'Mine." 

Hermione stilled. "Fine. You might not like it. Just remember it's too late now."

George's brow creased, and Hermione didn't need to turn to know that Fred mirrored his expression. "Nothing is ever too late, Mione. Nothing is even impossible - not for us." Then they dragged her to the corner.

George sat down in front of her. "Hermione Granger. I am not good at the emotional manipulation that Fred does. I do not want to manipulate anything out of you. This is your chance to say it. Then I'll get Fred to come and make you feel bad. Right, Fred?"

Fred nodded from his seat to the left of Hermione.

"So," George said. His face looked odd without a grin. "Speaking as your first-ever friend, Hermione. Why are you sneaking out of the common room at dawn, in the holidays, and refusing to tell us? What are you hiding?"

Hermione scowled. "Why do you have to _manipulate_ me? If I tell you, will you keep it quiet? Last I heard, you two were 'blabbermouths'."

George's face lit up. He turned to Fred. Fred grinned back. "You did good, George. I have taught you well."

They both turned back to her, twin looks of concerned interest on their faces. "Let's hear it," they chorused.

Hermione pulled a face. "I am brewing a potion. I need to add the final ingredient - RIGHT NOW! Oh, HELL, let me past!"

The twins were too shocked to react as she ran from the room. "You'll probably know by this evening!" she called behind her.

"We won't, you know," George observed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU CANNOT CONVINCE ME FRED AND GEORGE JUST GOT THE IDEA FOR A SHOP BEFORE THEY LEFT. NOPE. NO WAY.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys -
> 
> Am I back? Kind of . . . . . Procrastination is my religion. I have like 3 chapters left to post. Hang in there!!

Wait. Shoot. Nononononononononononononononononononononono-

Hermione was a cat. Of all things - not Millicent Bulstrode, not a Slytherin, not even a human - she was a cat. And the boys, well, they were oblivious as ever. They'd gone without her. Hermione had two options -

1) wait an hour and see if the potions wears off. As Polyjuice is only for human use, this could be tricky.

2) go to Madam Pomfrey now, to avoid the boys, and possibly Moaning Myrt-

"Oooh," a girl's voice said. "What have we here, then?"

Myrtle floated through the door to the cubicle with disturbing ease - _did she do this to most people?_ \- took one look at Hermione, and burst out laughing.

"Oh - oh - that's brilliant! You've got a _tail_! And a little furry face! Ah, you look awful!"

_Guess I'm waiting an hour then._

-

Well, if Malfoy wasn't the heir, then all this work - and turning into cats - was for nothing. Hermione supposed you always had to kiss a few frogs, but this was quite a big and ugly frog to kiss if it wasn't going to be a prince. And since Harry and Ron reported it wasn't a prince, Hermione needed a new plan.

There was only so much thinking you could do when you're at school, since work takes up a lot of brain space, but since she was in the Hospital Wing she had plenty of time on her hands while she waited for Harry to bring her the work. The first step in the plan would probably be to work out how the 'monster' was getting around school, because if it used any special skills, Hermione just had to look for people with those skills - wall climbing, sneaking, swimming, whatever. The monster wasn't doing anything unordered, that was for sure.

"What ho, 'Mine!" a cheery voice said. Hermione couldn't see the owner yet, because the screens were blocking her view, but it sounded suspiciously like Fred.

"What ho, Freddie!" she replied, and crossed her fingers that it was Fred.

"How did you do that?" 'Fred' demanded, pausing outside the curtains.

"What?"

"Know it was me?"

Ah, so it _was_ Fred. In slight hindsight, this was pretty obvious, since he'd used 'Mine'. She was so _stupid_ sometimes. Hermione resolved to make Fred feel idiotic too, so they could start a club or something.

"You called me 'Mine', Freddie," she said, as scornfully as possible.

"Oh. So I did. Anyway, are you up for a visitor? I've got your school work, you mad woman!"

"Uh - I suppose so, but don't mind the hair."

"The - oh." 

Fred had ripped back the curtains, and come face to face with a half cat, half human crossbreed that talked like Hermione. "You make a nice cat," he offered, before throwing five books down on the bed. "Couple months in the Hospital Wing'll put that right, anyhow. I would have used the time to do something productive, and yet here you are, doing-" he checked the title of her parchment "- sorry, _planning_ how to catch the heir of Slytherin." He sat back in his chair as though his point had been proven, before shooting back up again. "No! 'Mine, what are you thinking?! You can't go looking for him! Trouble doesn't find you, you literally go looking for trouble! No! I will emotionally manipulate you. I will put a full Body Bind Curse on you, Granger, and you won't be going anywhere looking for anything. Don't you DARE even THINK about trying to catch the heir-"

He took one look at the hair on Hermione's face, and turned white. "Polyjuice. You absolute git, you Polyjuiced without telling us! That's ILLEGAL!"

"Not so loud!" Hermione hissed. "Do you want me to go to Azkaban? I was trying to masquerade as a Slytherin to interrogate Malfoy, but it went a bit wrong-"

"-Understatement-"

"-and I ended up as a cat-"

"-What if it never wears off?!-"

"-So the boys went instead."

"Boys? Oh, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. Ron. Always Ron. Trouble, Trouble, Trouble - Bilius shouldn't be his middle name, Trouble should-"

"His middle name is Bilius?"

Fred smirked, distracted for a minute. "That's some good blackmail material, huh? Anyway. Don't do something this dangerous ever again, Mine. Me and George nearly died of fright when we heard you were in the Hospital Wing, because last time you were here, you were nearly unconscious. ALWAYS tell us. One of us. Both of us, preferably. You're lucky I stopped George from coming, he would be giving you his 'disappointed' look by now."

Hermione sighed. "I was going to tell you, but it was time for the lacewings and I couldn't mess it up. By the way, Malfoy's not the heir."

"Could have told you that. He's a coward, that Malfoy kid."

Hermione scowled. "Give me my books."

"No, I gotta lecture you some more!"

"Books."

"No."

"Books."

"lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala-"

"BOOKS, YOU MORON!"

Fred looked offended, but kept singing. Hermione sighed. This would be a long two months.


	14. Chapter 14

Hermione got out of the Hospital Wing in February, only to be accosted by hot pink dwarves wandering around the castle; she was confused for a moment, before remembering the date. February 14th. 

And then she remembered something else. She'd sent Lockhart a Valentine, thinking she would still be in the Hospital Wing on this day, as a thank you for his get-well soon card. She was going to be teased mercilessly.

"Oi oi, Mine," Fred said, sitting down opposite her. "Got your eyes on anyone this fine Valentine's Day?"

"Absolutely not," she said firmly - and meant it. "There is not a single boy in this school with enough brains to understand half of what I say-"

"And what if it's a girl?" George wanted to know.

"It isn't-"

"We've got brains!" Fred said indignantly.

"And you're also fourteen."

"You're thirteen."

"You're turning fifteen."

"You're turning fourteen."

"Not for a while, though-"

"Why are you having this conversation? Can't you just say he's ugly, Mione, and that you prefer me better?"

Hermione grinned. "You're ugly, Fred, and I prefer George. I don't _prefer him better,_ that doesn't make any sense."

Both twins now looked very offended, and turned away. Hermione shrugged and began her breakfast, only to be accosted by Angelina, Alicia and Katie.

"Where have you been?!" Angelina demanded.

"Haven't you heard? I turned into a cat," Hermione sighed,

"You know what, I don't want to know. We just wanted to give you this," Alicia said, and handed Hermione a pink package. "Keep it safe, please? OK, we're leaving now."

Katie waved energetically, and the three Chasers moved off further down the table. Hermione opened the present to find a necklace in the shape of a triangle. She recognised the Rune on it as _protection,_ and smiled. The girls knew her better than she'd thought.

-

If it had been Ginny who'd sent Harry the Valentine, she'd done a good job. Considering how down the youngest Weasley always looked - a stark contrast from the firework Hermione had met in the summer - she had a creative streak, that was for sure. Hermione was going in search of her, partly to congratulate her on the poetry, and partly to check she was ok. 

Ginny was sitting in a corner of the Common room. Hermione approached as loudly as possible, as the younger girl was skittish.

"Hey, Gin," she said, "Well done on the Valentine - it was genius!"

Ginny cracked a weak, tiny smile. "Thanks."

"Are you quite alright, Ginny? You always seem to be writing in your journal nowadays. Do you need to talk?"

Ginny seemed conflicted. Despite how close the two girls had gotten over the past year, this was clearly a sensitive subject.

"I don't ask questions," Hermione assured her - well, in this case she wouldn't, anyway. "I'm friends with the twins."

"Best friends!" Fred insisted out of nowhere, and the moment was gone.


End file.
